Successor
by HaymitchTheMermaidLivesOn
Summary: Next Generation Maka X Soul fanfic *Please note: Maka and Soul are not married in this fanfiction due to my personal beliefs. Don't know if that matters but there you go* Rated T for swearing
1. Prologue, introduction, etc

**_Prologue_**

A successors is a person or thing that succeeds another. The next generation, so to speak. There are successors every where. The young guy in the grey hoodie and the lady next to me are successors to the generation before us, and successors of their respective parents. The 'Creeps' or the creepy old man who keeps staring at me is a predecessor to my generation. However, I am different. I am a successor to greatness.


	2. Ch 1

**_CH I_**

_My name is Kotone Albarn - Evans. I have a twin brother, Hitoshi, and my parents are Soul Eater - Evans and Maka Albarn. I am a student at DWMA. I am a scythe. My name is Kotone Albarn - Evans and I can control -_

"Focus on the flame. Control it." Damn it, Stein! Stop sounding so dry and making this sound easy.

"Stop smoking. The smoke's distracting me."

"Focus on the flame," Another puff. My stomach twists, my head begins to hurt, and -

Fuck. My wrist is on fire. Time stops and the familiar sting, the familiar burn, hits my arm. In slow motion, I see Stein grab

"Well," Stein's voice is even and unphased as he removes the cigarette from his lips, "You made some progress. Go to the nurse's office, I'll bandage you there. I ran out of ointment."

"It's fine, I can bandage myself." After all, I've been bandaged enough times to learn.

"Alright, come after school tomorrow. We'll work again on controlling placement. You have intensity down."

I'm about to leave for the nurses office when Stein, in an uncharacteristic show of kindness, tell me, "Fire is a difficult element to control, Kotone. Most people with your level of power go insane."

My back stiffens and my nerves are on edge, so much that I'm unable to move and the words leave my mouth unbidden, "I don't blame them. Being a Kaji is a curse, after all."

The door closes, but in the millisecond before the door clicks, I swear I can hear Stein mutter something about curses.

"Why do you always go to Stein's after school? You always end up burned," Hitoshi stabs his stew moodily as I examine the content of mine. Potatoes.

"I always end up burned somehow," Carrots. Pork.

Hitoshi's frowning, "True, but -"

"But, nothing. You can control your abilities. I need to learn to control mine." Beans.

"You're acting suicidal. You're willingly subjecting yourself to training that always end up with your being -"

"Stop it." My stomach twists, my head is hurting, -. No, I can't. No. No. No. My stomach untwists, and the gnome stops tapping on my head.

"No! Kotoshi, you are having nightmares. You cry in your sleep and you go off for hours on end on your motorcycle. Mom has to apply special ointment on your skin and you have to take a pill-"

"Hitoshi, you know why I take that pill and why Mom puts that ointment on my skin," Hitoshi takes a deep breath and I take a bite of my stew, "The most I leave the house for is four hours and I'm not crying in my sleep, it's sweat. Lately, the pill has been causing me to sweat a lot."

"The pill?" Just my freakin' luck.

"Hey Mom. Hey Dad," the door slams and Mom is furious. Her eyebrows are pinched together, and if her lip were pressed together any further, they'd be a straight line. Her hands are on her hips, and, although I am the first to admit my mom is tiny, right now she looks eight feet tall. But, if Mom is furious, then Dad is seething. Dad is scary enough as it is, with him being 6"2, extremely muscled, and him having sharp teeth, and having albinism (excepting the pale skin). Right now, he looks similar to how he did when one of the guys in my band hit on Mom: extremely pissed. His eyes are pitiless pools of scarlet and his hands are balled up into fists.

"The pill?," Mom snarls.

"The pill that Stein gave me so that I can control the flames." My voice is calm, but even I can tell there is a nervous undertone in my voice. Meanwhile, Mom's grinding her teeth, Dad looks murderous, and Hitoshi looks nervous.

"Kotone, -," Dad takes a breath and gives Mom a look that could freeze time, stopping her in mid sentence as his hand grips hers. The grinding calms down.

"You're not lying to your Mom and I, Kotoshi," Dad is calm, a threat in the undertones of his voice.

"I'm not lying." Besides, Mom would know if I lied anyways by the change in my wavelength. Hitoshi puts his chair back quietly and leaves the room, shooting me a look and nodding to the music room.

Dad turns to Mom and whispers something in her ear and Mom turns to face me, her face calmer, more serene.

"I hope you're not, Kotone."

"I'm not, Mom. Look, I'd tell you and Dad if," Mom coughs awkwardly and Dad's face is blank, "anything changes."

"Good." Dad's voice is stern and his eyebrows are beginning to furrow.

"Ko? I need help with my homework!" Hitoshi's voice calls from the hallway.

"Hitoshi, talk to your sister with respect." Dad says calmly with threatening undertones in his voice as he pulls out a chair and sits down.

"Ko, _please_ help me with my homework?" Hitoshi stresses the please.

"Thank you." Mom leans her head on Dad's shoulder and faintly gestures to the hallway.

The last glance I see of my parents is of my Mom sighing in relief as she rubs Dad's knuckles comfortingly and Dad sitting there with a blanker? *if possible* expression on his face.

The door to the music room closes and I revel in the light shining off the instruments in the room. Dad's piano, my guitars, Dad's keyboard and percussion equipment, my vocal equipment. The air is peaceful in here and it smells like Dad: the wood finish he uses to clean Heiki, (Dad and I like to name our instruments. His piano's named Heiki, his keyboard's named Yu Min after the singer and my guitar is named Suji.), the cologne Mom gave him for Christmas, and a faint scent of motorcycle oil (he's helping me fix my motorcycle).

"So you are Ok?" Hitoshi is sitting on the piano seat and looking at the keys warily.

"This coming from the boy who's afraid of a piano," I sit next to him, and my fingers itch to play. Hitoshi shoots me an annoyed look.

"I'm OK, Hitoshi, don't worry about me."

"Let's play a game." Oh god, that brings nasty images in my mind.

"I'm not going to respond to that."

"Pervert" Hitoshi bumps my shoulder.

"I'm not a pervert, I've just been around Aunt Blair too long. So what do you want to play?"

"Truth or truth."

"Isn't that a girl's game?"

"Shaddup," Hitoshi grumbles, "It's meant for bonding."

"Bonding for what?"

"To increase our soul resonance, of course!"

"You're just like Mom."

"So says the ginger midget." Yes, I am 4"1 and sixteen years old. And I do have red hair.

"Shut up or I'll burn you."

"Shutting up."

The keys feels slippery under my fingers. Eh, I'll wipe them off later.

"You know …," Hitoshi drawls from his spot on the floor. He stops staring at the ceiling to look at me.

"I know what?," I play a few more notes experimentally. Mmm. That's nice. I add an B sharp to the composition I'm writing.

"You're just like Dad."

"Shut. Up. Now."


	3. Ch 1 Rewrite

**_CH I_**

_ My name is Kotone Albarn - Evans. I have a twin brother, Hitoshi, and my parents are Soul Eater - Evans and Maka Albarn. I am a student at DWMA. I am a scythe. My name is Kotone Albarn - Evans and I can control -_

"Focus on the flame. Control it." Damn it, Stein! Stop sounding so dry and making this sound easy.

"Stop smoking. The smoke's distracting me."

"Focus on the flame," Another puff. My stomach twists, my head begins to hurt, and -

Fuck. My wrist is on fire. Time stops and the familiar sting, the familiar burn, hits my arm. In slow motion, I see Stein grab the glass of water ready on his dissection table and throw it at me. I choke back a hiss as my skin starts sizzling.

* * *

"Well," Stein's voice is even and unphased as he removes the cigarette from his lips, "You made some progress. Go to the nurse's office, I'll bandage you there. I ran out of ointment."

"It's fine, I can bandage myself." After all, I've been bandaged enough times to learn.

"Alright, come after school tomorrow. We'll work again on controlling placement. You have intensity down."

I'm about to leave for the nurses office when Stein tells me in an uncharacteristic tone, "Fire is a difficult element to control, Kotone. Most people with your level of power go insane."

Is Stein being compassionate? That's a weird thought. Then, my back is stiffening, so much that I'm unable to move. Insane. Most people with my level-

Words are leaving my mouth unbidden, "I don't blame them. Being a Kaji is a curse, after all."

The door closes, but in the millisecond before the door clicks, I swear I can hear Stein mutter something about curses.

* * *

"Why do you always go to Stein's after school? You always end up burned," Hitoshi stabs his stew moodily as I examine the contents of mine. Potatoes.

"I always end up burned somehow," Carrots. Pork.

Hitoshi's frowning, "True, but -"

"But, nothing. You can control your abilities. I need to learn to control mine." Beans.

"You're acting suicidal. You're willingly subjecting yourself to training that always end up with your being -"

"Stop it, Hitoshi. Calm down." My tone is ice calm and my stomach is twisting, my head is hurting, and -. No, I can't. No. Stop Kotone.

"No! Kotone, you are having nightmares. You cry in your sleep and you go off for hours on end on your motorcycle. Mom has to apply special ointment on your skin and you have to take a pill-" Hitoshi's voice is getting more and more nervous with every word and his voice reaches a crescendo.

"Hitoshi, you know why I take that pill and why Mom puts that ointment on my skin," I take a bite of my stew, trying not to shake, "The most I leave the house for is four hours and I'm not crying in my sleep, it's sweat. Lately, the pill has been causing me to sweat a lot."

"The pill?" Just my freakin' luck.

"Hey Mom. Hey Dad," the door slams and Mom is furious. Her eyebrows are pinched together, and if her lip were pressed together any further, they'd be a straight line. Her hands are on her hips, and, although I am the first to admit my mom is tiny, right now she looks eight feet tall. But, if Mom is furious, then Dad is seething. Dad is scary enough as it is, with him being 6"2, extremely muscled, and him having sharp teeth, and having albinism (excepting the pale skin). Right now, he looks similar to how he did when one of the guys in my band hit on Mom: extremely pissed. His eyes are pitiless pools of scarlet and his hands are balled up into fists.

"The pill?," Dad snarls.

Now, please note that Dad is the calm one between himself and Mom. When Dad gets mad, we are all done for. If you don't believe me, ask James, the American guy in my band. (He's the poor soul who decide to hit on Mom. Apparently he thought Mom was my sister.)

"The pill that Stein gave me so that I can control the flames." My voice is calm, but even I can tell there is a nervous undertone in my voice. Meanwhile, Mom's grinding her teeth, Dad looks murderous, and Hitoshi looks nervous.

"Kotone, -," Mom takes a breath and gives Dad a look that could freeze time, stopping him in mid sentence as her hand grabs his.

"You're not lying to your Mom and I, Kotone, are you?," Dad's voice is deadly calm, a threat in the undertones of his voice. His hand curls tighter (the other one is holding Mom's) and the pitiless pools of scarlet are staring at me.

"I'm not lying." Besides, Mom would know if I lied by the change in my wavelength. Hitoshi puts his chair back quietly and leaves the room, shooting me a look and nodding to the music room.

Mom turns to Dad and whispers something in his ear and he turns to face me, his face calmer, more serene.

"I hope you're not, Kotone."

"I'm not, Mom. Look, I'd tell you and Dad if," Mom coughs awkwardly and Dad's face is morphing, "anything changes."

"Good." Dad's voice is stern and his eyebrows are beginning to furrow.

"Ko? I need help with my homework!" Hitoshi's voice calls from the hallway.

"Hitoshi, talk to your sister with respect." Dad pulls out a chair. His face morphs again and now he's as blank as a canvas.

"Ko, _please_ help me with my homework?" Hitoshi stresses the please.

"Thank you." Mom leans her head on Dad's shoulder and faintly gestures to the hallway.

The last glance I see of my parents is of Mom sighing in relief as she rubs Dad's knuckles comfortingly and Dad sitting there with a blanker? *if possible* expression on his face.

* * *

The door to the music room closes and I revel in the light shining off the instruments in the room. Dad's piano, my guitars, Dad's keyboard and percussion equipment, my vocal equipment. The air is peaceful in here and it smells like Dad: the wood finish he uses to clean Heiki, (Dad and I like to name our instruments. His piano's named Heiki, his keyboard's named Yu Min after the singer and my guitar is named Suji.), the cologne Mom gave him for Christmas, and a faint scent of motorcycle oil (he's helping me fix my motorcycle).

"So you are OK? Your wavelength was uneasy when you came into the house." Hitoshi is sitting on the Heiki's seat and looking at the keys warily.

"This coming from the boy who's afraid of a piano," I sit next to him, and my fingers are itching to play. Hitoshi shoots me an annoyed look.

"Kotone."

"I'm OK, Hitoshi, don't worry about me."

"Fine, then. Let's play a game." Oh god, that brings nasty images in my mind.

"I'm not going to respond to that."

"Pervert." The mood shifts in the room and Hitoshi bumps my shoulder.

"I'm not a pervert, I've just been around Aunt Blair too long. So what do you want to play?"

"Truth or truth."

"Isn't that a girl's game?"

"Shaddup," Hitoshi grumbles, "It's meant for bonding."

"Bonding for what?"

"To increase our soul resonance, of course!"

"You sound just like Mom."

"So says the ginger midget." Yes, I am 4"1 and sixteen years old. And I do have red hair.

"Shut up or I'll burn you."

"Shutting up."

* * *

The keys feel slippery under my fingers. Eh, I'll wipe them off later. After this note.

"You know ...," Hitoshi drawls from his spot on the floor. He stops staring at the ceiling to look at me.

"You know what?," I play a few more notes experimentally. Mmm. That's nice. I add an B sharp to the composition I'm writing.

"You're just like Dad."

"Shut. Up. Now."


	4. Ch 2

**_CH 2_**

The first thing I see is the fuzzy alarm clock on my bedside table with a crimson backdrop (probably my wall). My eyes adjust and my clock comes into full view. 7:20 AM. Should be enough time to drop off Aunt Patty's boots. The on ramp is about twenty minutes and going on the freeway takes about fifteen minutes in the morning traffic. If all goes well, I should be back by 8:45, including the visit with Uncle Kid (I only call him Shinigami - Sama at school), and Aunt Patty and Aunt Liz. School starts at nine. Yeah, I should be fine.

* * *

Aunt Patty is staring at me, her face frozen in horror as she stares at what's left of the boots she gave (read forced) me to wear.

"I'm sorry Aunt Patty. It was an accident. There was a demon and I lost a bet -"

I hear footsteps and I see Uncle Kid, symmetrical as always.

"Hey, Uncle Kid." Suddenly, Uncle Kid starts gakking.

"Asymmetrical. Asymmetrical -" Uncle Kid is pointing to the left side of my face.

"What? Oh, crap. Sorry Unc-" Now Uncle Kid is pounding the floor, muttering things about asymmetry, godchildren, and scars.

Of all days to visit Uncle Kid, why did I have to visit the one day I didn't wear make up? I straightened my hair and everything today.

"Better?" I take out the bangs from behind my ears.

Kid glances up and his face goes white.

"Now your bangs are asymmetrical."

* * *

Kid has been wailing for an hour and Aunt Patty is now holding a funeral for her Gucci? boots. Gucci, Prada, some brand like that.

"Kotone, why -," Aunt Liz is standing there, her eyebrows perked in curiosity.

"Don't ask." I sink down deeper into the leather chair and bury my face in my hands.

Aunt Liz just shrugs and offers me a cup of coffee.

* * *

I drive into the driveway at 9:30. Hitoshi's standing there, his face perked in annoyance. Mom's also standing there, her face pinched.

"Before you say anything, Mom, school starts at 9:45. I have fifteen minutes. Oh and I love you very much. Hitoshi, have I told you you are the best brother ever?"

Then, Dad's Harley pulls up.

"KOTONE ALBARN - EVANS, I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU EVERY WHERE" Dam***. He's using my full name. Dad's officially pissed.

Needless to say, Hitoshi and I were almost an hour late to school.

* * *

Why. Did. I. Ask. Uncle. Black-Star. For. Help. On. Hand. To. Hand. Combat. Training.

"What?," Nygus tightens the bandages that are wrapped around my abdomen and I let out a hiss of pain.

"Nothing." Mmm. That feels wonderful. (Please note my sarcasm.)

"OK, so Kotone, you should be fine. Just take it easy during sparring classes and weapons class."

"Mmk. Anything else?"

"Put this ointment on after school. It should help with the bruising."

"Cool. Bye, Nygus."

"You sound like your Dad," Nygus turns around and begins to roll up bandages.

"Thanks." My voice is listless, ambivalent.

"That wasn't a compliment."

"Mmm. Pleasant as always Nygus," Nygus is still wrapping bandages when she turns to face me.

"Get to class, Kotone."

"Alright," I stand up and stretch, wincing.

"Hurry, you know how your Mom's going to act when you're late to her class."

"Yeah, I know. Bye, Nygus."

"Hurry."

"Mmph. Love you, too."

* * *

"Kotone, you're late," Mom's standing at the front of the class, holding Dad in weapon form with the blade up and shaft down.

"Sorry Mo-, I mean Miss. Albarn." Dad's eye blinks lazily at me, "It won't happen again."

"Good," Mom gives me a cheery smile and gestures for me to sit down, "Now, the bond between technician and weapon is very important-"

I'll tell Mom about what Nygus said later.

Kane snickers behind me.

"Obviously, or else Kotone and Hitoshi wouldn't be here."

Hitoshi's eyes are ice cold and my pencil is sparking. And going up in flames. Dad's eye is narrowed.

"Mr. -?," Mom's voice is tense, angry.

"Omigawa. Kane Omigawa." I'm turning my head when Hitoshi stops me, his eyes strangely calm.

"Mr. Omigawa, please come up here. Please bring your weapon partner with you." Kane gestures to his weapon partner Chris and they walk down the stairs. On the way down, Chris gives me an apologetic look and I nod slightly.

Now, Chris isn't a bad guy. He's actually pretty decent. And somewhat good looking, but I am not really the best person to judge. Kane, on the other hand, is an arrogant monkey who can't even spell his own name. He is a simpering, fugly, -

"Mr. and Miss. _Albarn - Evans_, please come down here," Mom puts an emphasis on Albarn - Evans.

Almost like a wisp, I hear Hitoshi's voice uncurl in the corner of my mind.

_A simpering, fugly monkey? Ko, you have to come up with a better name than that._

Hi sits up and we are walking down the stairs. The air is stagnant, and there's a pregnant silence. People are staring at our backs as Hitoshi and I walk down the steps. My boots are clicking, a steady staccato noise. Click, click, click.

_Sorry if my brain space is filled up with brains rather than air._

Hi grunts, stifling a laugh. Click, click, click.

_Aren't you special today?_

"Miss. Albarn - Evans, Mr. Nishimura, transform into your weapon forms. Class, we are going outside," Dad transforms out of his weapon form, and, for once in my life, I'm glad my Dad has red eyes, shark teeth, and is 6"2, because right now, Dad is snarling at Kane and Kane looks like he wants to piss himself.

* * *

Mom clears her throat, "OK, class, right now we are going to see the importance of the bond between technician and weapon. Mr. Nishimura, and Mr. Omigawa. Mr. and Miss. Albarn - Evans. Begin."

The stares on my back disappear. I am taking in my surroundings. Tree on left right. Wall behind me. Useful. Gravel under my feet. Possible distraction. Then, Kane attacks. A slash towards the hand Hi's using to hold my staff. Move. Kick up gravel in his eyes with the chine of my blade as he slides my blade on the ground. Blind. Circle around. Hit the head with the heel of the staff and push him into the wall. Disorient. With a bit of revenge. Then, the trip. And, the mighty fall.

"And Kija wins again," someone mutters in the crowd, poison dripping with with every word. Dam***. I hate that name.

I transform back and my ribs are screaming. Crap, I forgot about what Nygus said. So much for taking it easy. I'm bending down. Bad idea. The only reason I'm not falling is because of the tree I'm leaning against. Faintly, I hear Mom telling a student to get Nygus. Dad is bending down and wrapping an arm around my waist, steadying me. Hitoshi's helping Dad steady me when I hear his frantic voice uncurling in my mind.

_Ko, what's going on?_

I'm taking slow breaths as the my ribs continue to scream.

_It's fine. I was sparring with Uncle Black Star today and I forgot that Nygus told me to take it easy in sparring today. _

Hitoshi is sputtering.

_Kotone._ Hitoshi is glaring at me.

_Yeah?_ I grunt as Dad shifts me slightly.

_You're an idiot._ If looks could kill, I'd be in ashes.

_Thanks. You really love your sister._

_Shut up now._

"Dad," my words are coming in pants, "I-"

Pant.

"Was sparring -"

Pant.

"With Uncle Black Star during lunch -"

Dad's hand tightens as he mutters something about killing Uncle Black Star. Another pant.

"And, I got some nasty bruising-"

Pant.

"So, Nygus told me to take it easy during sparring-"

Pant.

"And I forgot to tell Mom during class."

Dad's just staring at me, speechless.

* * *

The pain pills are slipping down my throat. The screaming from my ribs is eased.

"Mr. Evans, Miss. Albarns, Kotone's fine. Her bruising just took a nasty beating," Nygus gestures to the purple - red splotches on my upper body (mainly centered around my ribs), "In about two days, the pain will stop. The bruises will go away if Kotone takes the ointment I prescribed."

"Kotone." Mom's giving me the look.

"Yeah."

"No more sparring with Black Star during lunch."

Nygus waits for Mom and I to finish,"Mr. Albarn - Evans, please keep an eye on your sister until the bruises disappear."

Hi would have watched me regardless.

* * *

The whispers are every where.

"Is it true that Kane beat Kaji?" Some boy whispers to his friend.

"Oh, yeah. I saw the bandages around her ribs." His friend replies, glancing at me from the corner of his eye.

"So, the great Kaji isn't so great?" The guy snickers.

Hitoshi growls. Frankie looks like he wants to kill someone. His partner, Kou, is trying to calm him down (Frankie, if given enough reason, will kill anyone). Masamune is reaching for his fork. Aoi's, Masamune's partner, hands are in fists. But, before anything can happen, my stomach twists, my head hurts, my mouth is dry -

**_Before you judge, please note that I have little to no control over my flame abilities. I am not a pyro. I do not enjoy hurting people. I am not a psychopath. I just need a lot of control over my abilities. Continue._**

Now, the jerk's screaming like a girl as his hair is turning into a crescendo of flame and time starts rushing forward, so quickly that it passes recognition. Students are frozen, just staring at the crescendo of flames on Jerky's head. Fortunately, Uncle Black Star's training comes into use and this ends quickly. I slosh my water bottle into the air, making the water turn into a geyser. Hitoshi maneuvers the water and, in a millisecond, Jerky is drenched from head to toe. His clothes are limp and his hair is singed almost to the root. Honestly, Jerky's hair looks better this way (more like Drenchy now). It looks less greasy.

The cafeteria unfreezes and everybody in the cafeteria is glancing at Hitoshi and I warily as we shrug nonchalantly. Well, everybody except for Frankie, who has undergone a sudden mood swing and is completely unbothered.

"Kaji means uncontrollable flame remember?"

With that, everybody goes back to their lunch. Jerky and his buddy included.

"A little pissy today, aren't we, Ko?" Hitoshi gestures to me with a rice ball.

"Shut up Baka." I kick Hitoshi's shin and his face turns white. Guess I missed. Oh, well.

Masamune (always the peacemaker) changes the subject.

"So, anyone want to go to the basketball court today?"

* * *

The lady's pause to scribble something gives me time to think about my day. Let's see. I lost the binder with all of my assignments in it. I was late to school. Then, Mom and Dad grounded me for being late and Kane made that comment and Hi and I kicked his sorry butt. Kane decided to act like his fugly monkey self. Uncle Black Star kicked my butt in sparring. And, as the cherry on top, Jerry's broken, and I can't borrow Frank because Dad's going to stay with Mom as she talks to Uncle Kid. Honestly, I just want to be alone, listening to music. Now, I'm rambling. Maybe I don't want to be alone.

"Miss. Albarns - Evans, your motorcycle will be picked up in twenty minutes." Never have I ever liked this lady as much as I do now. Who else is going to distract me from rambling?

"Thanks." My voice is dry. Drier than usual. Not a great way to thank my rambling distraction, but eh. I'll deal with it later.

The lady hangs up and my other rambling distraction surprises me.

"Hitoshi, go home with Masamune. I'll just wait for the tow truck to get here." My voice is tired, annoyed as Hi and I wait outside school. The only people left are the teachers, Uncle Kid, and Masamune (he's waiting for Hitoshi and I to leave).

Hi may be my only other rambling distraction, but I'm not making him suffer today.

"No. Right now, you're liable to catch Shibushen in a massive flame. No." Hitoshi has a stubborn expression and, for once, I'm glad he's so stubborn.

I lie down slowly on the grass and close my eyes (my ribs, no my general upper body still hurts like hell).

* * *

I'm in the corner table of Deathbucks with Hitoshi when I finally calm down. Hi's nursing a latte and I'm drinking my grande black coffee like there's no tomorrow (Don't judge me ; coffee is my comfort food).

"Enjoying that coffee Ko?" Hi raises an eyebrow.

I grunt in response as the taste of coffee slides down my throat.

"How long did they say it would take to get Jerry fixed?"

"Two hours." Hitoshi's tone is extremely dry

I check the time on my watch, my hand shaking with impatience (or caffeine ; I can't tell).

"It would have been quicker if I fixed it."

"Oh well. At least you won't burn down Shibusen anymore."

"Benefits of having a caffeine addiction."

"You said it." Hi and I clink our coffee cups.

Thus ends the perfect ending to an decidedly not perfect day.


End file.
